


like none is watching

by raleighocean



Series: An Original Horror Story [6]
Category: American Horror Story
Genre: 2013, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Past Relationship(s), coven - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-15 23:59:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18679942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raleighocean/pseuds/raleighocean
Summary: Sunday mornings were chill, almost everyone waking up late in their rest day. A couple meet downstairs at the kitchen and, in between dancing and laughing, they remember what they used to be.





	like none is watching

**Author's Note:**

> The fic take places around October, the morning of the day in which the doctor tells Delia she can’t have babies. Cordelia and Raleigh are 33, the same age, so y’all keep it in mind! 
> 
> I always like to talk about them in the after-Supreme/Apocalypse setting, but writing them as just their normal setting is my jam. Also, the song they listen to is 'I Think We're Alone Now' by Tiffany! I posted it on my tumblr too, I hope you enjoy this tiny bittersweet piece as much as I did writing it!

Autumn always made her feel at peace, Raleigh thought while setting the kettle in the stove, with its auburn colours and the light breeze and how everyone started to get ready for Halloween. She muffled a chuckle against her hand, finding funny how despite everything she still liked the festivity.

That was a good sign for her; a sign that she was getting used to be  _ sober  _ from her power.

None seem to be awake that early, not that she expected it since it was sunday and meant Cordelia let her few girls rest, and it made her feel better. She didn't want those girls to see her like that, to notice she was the weak link among them and let them see they could win the upper hand? No way. 

Raleigh already had to live among bitches in her Academy days, she wasn't going back to that.

Since she came back to the Academy a couple of weeks ago, all she wanted to was make up for the time lost and recover fully. As days went by the hope of getting there was starting to grow slowly, her own hard work showing only for Cordelia to see.

Drawing her thumb over her mug, Raleigh thought her best achievement so far was making Cordelia smile again. 

Not only the kettle made her stop wandering around her thoughts, but also someone walking in the kitchen.

“Good morning,” sleepy voice and all, Raleigh couldn’t help but smile softly at the sound of her best girl. “Are you getting coffee or tea?”

“Do you want me to be awake for another day?” Raleigh let out a chuckle and soon her friend was by her side, mug in hand. "Give it to me, sleepy head, I'll fill it for you."

Cordelia giggled sleepy at that, thanking softly when the mug full of warm tea was in her hands again. She waited for Raleigh to fill hers and took both to the kitchen's round table where both settled by each other side. It was like they were still young, sitting close while drinking tea in a comfortable silence. Raleigh felt how her bits of magic were pulling ever so softly at her friend's magic, having missed that sweet feeling for too long. Cordelia smiled in peace and put her free hand over Raleigh's, intertwining their fingers as if it was there where they belong. 

"You're tickling me," seeing Cordelia's features that relaxed sent a wave of warmth all over her. "You always did that."

"You always were stressed," Raleigh concluded, bringing Cordelia's hand to her lips and kissing her knuckles. "And I loved to see you smile, what more could I do Deli?" 

“Took me to the greenhouse in the wee hours, put on one of your mixtapes in miss Reverie’s old radio,” Cordelia’s thumb caressed Raleigh’s hand, leaning a bit as if she was going to tell the other woman a secret. “And dancing to it, until I ended up telling you what was worrying me.”

“Did I do that? I don’t remember it like that,” Raleigh chuckled when Cordelia moved her hand from on top of hers to hit her shoulder, which she responded by draping her arm over her shoulders and hug her like that. “Okay, okay, I was the troublemaker, you were the brick.”

They didn’t pull away from the position, having Cordelia bringing closer her chair so they could be more comfortable. It was easy to slip in their old selves, too easy, and it was a welcomed feeling. Resting her head over Raleigh’s shoulder, Cordelia received a kiss on top of her head almost automatically. They always had that little gesture, you laid your head in the other’s shoulder and you got a kiss; simple and sweet. 

“God,” a soft whisper and then Raleigh felt a kiss on her shoulder, followed by Cordelia resting her chin there. “I wish you did that again.”

“Handyman would freak out if I go into your bedroom like that,” faking a gasp, as if she just said the most hideous thing, Raleigh took a big sip of her tea afterwards. “What if I caught him de-”

“His name is Hank,” the interruption came with Cordelia pulling away from the embrace, holding her mug with both hands. 

“Well, don’t want to catch Frank and you on marital stuff,” she didn’t need to look at her friend to see her frown, Raleigh only needed to stretch her bits of magic and sense how Cordelia’s was pulling away. 

“I have enough with my mother not liking him,” Raleigh only shrugged and looked at her tea. The guy was a prick and him was the only opinion she would ever have in common with the Supreme. It made her blood boil in anger. “Be nice, please.”

Never prone to awkward silences, that was one heck of an uncomfortable one. Nice was a big thing to say, she already gave him a little electric shock when they shook hands - because heck if he thought she was letting him kiss her cheek - when Cordelia introduce him to her. Tapping her fingers over the wood of the table Raleigh pushed a little bit harder her magic, trying to fight against the effects of the concoction.  _ I’m sorry, I love you, I’m sorry  _ that was always what it meant, it was Raleigh’s way to apologize without having to say the words.

“So, Voodoo,” Cordelia muttered a soft ‘ _ Queenie _ ’ and cracked a little smile. She knew that both were talking more than she was talking with any of the other girls. “Yeah, well, she told me you asked her to help you put some of my music in a...thing. How’s that going?”

Cordelia was letting her again intertwine their magic flows. That was a good thing, at least she still was receptive. 

“I’m trying to find one that’s friendly for you, not many features, just the basics,” she fumbled in the pocket of her robe, fishing her phone out of it. 

“Oh shit,” Raleigh looked really surprised upon seeing Cordelia’s phone, leaning back in the chair while watching her scroll and touch the screen. “Hope the thing doesn’t look like that, that’s fucking terrifying.”

“It won’t, don’t worry,” a little laugh that made Raleigh move her hand to rest on top of Cordelia’s thigh, giving her a light squeeze. “I have already a list of everything I remember, but you’ll have to check if I forgot to put something,” Cordelia showed her the bright screen and took her other hand, putting the cellphone in it. Raleigh couldn’t read shit, but once she squinted her eyes and put the device a bit further from her face, it was all peachy. “Later I’ll worry about having your eyes checked, old lady, but now tell me, come on.”

Raleigh thanked to be such a hopeless soul with all these new tech, because she enjoyed every second of Cordelia touching her hand while showing her how to scroll down the list. The true bliss of the fools, she told herself while reading all the songs she recognized well from her youth. As far as she saw, Cordelia did a really cool selection of  _ their  _ favourites, warming her heart.

While trying to think of something to say, she saw  _ that  _ one song.

And, of course, Raleigh had to play it right away.

She left the cellphone over the table as the first notes started, standing up and being followed by Cordelia’s sweet brown eyes, full of curiosity. Once she was up, she held her hand out for Cordelia to take. She raised an eyebrow and Raleigh had to flicker her fingers a bit, moving her head to encourage her best friend to move. When their hands were together again, Raleigh started to swing them softly to the beat of the music.

“You’re such a dork,” Cordelia saw how Raleigh started lip syncing the song. “Why do I put up with you, Ocean.”

“A secret stack of Snickers, a Coke and like five bucks, that’s why you put up with me,” they chuckled at the memory, dancing along the song a bit more enthusiastically. “So you tell me, you bought my soul for that price.”

“I bought it because it was the only way to make you shut up and let miss Reverie talk,” Cordelia hit Raleigh playfully in the chest with her hand, nothing she couldn’t handle. “Didn’t think I would regret that in the future, twenty years without touching a Snicker bar after watching you eat them all in like thirty.”

“Is that so? C’mon love,  _ now put your arms around me and we tumble to the ground and then you say, _ ” Raleigh sang the part of the song at the right time, used to sing it skillfully, and she did pull Cordelia closer to her so she could circle her neck with her arms. “ _ I think we’re alone now,” _

“ _ There doesn’t seem to be anyone around, _ ” Cordelia whispered, leaning in the touch and hugging her fully, hiding her face in the crook of her neck. The happy tone of the song didn’t match the chill morning, but it was okay. “ _ I think we’re alone now… _ ”

“ _ The beating of our hearts as the only sound, _ ” she could feel the soft vibrations of Raleigh’s voice against her cheek and that feeling was always the best.

Being like that, so close after being away for that long, feels like heaven. It wasn’t that the song was triggering a specific memory, but because it was their song back then. Cordelia couldn’t help but wonder, swinging to the song in Raleigh’s arms, if she was dreaming. But the Raleigh of her dreams didn’t look like the woman in front of her, she always looked as if she was still eighteen while she herself looked thirty three. 

Seeing Raleigh, thirty three like her, breathing and sharing the same physical space as her after  _ fifteen years  _ of being missing still felt unreal.

“Do you remember when we sneaked out in Mardi Gras?” Raleigh’s voice brought Cordelia back to the kitchen, the song still playing. “Miss Snow was so fucking pissed off.”

“At you? Yeah,” another chuckle, another shot of light right into Raleigh’s heart. “Auntie Myrtle didn’t let you be near me for the next two weeks or so.”

“Totally worth it,” when she looked up at her tall friend, Cordelia could see a pleased half smile and Raleigh’s eyes closed. “It's a good thing you had a troublemaker girlfriend, if not we would had spent our two first weeks as such looking at each other from the other side of the lounge," it was Raleigh's time to shoot light into Cordelia's heart. "Nothing could had kept me away from my best girl."

But it did, something kept Raleigh away from Cordelia and now what they had didn't matter anymore. Only them being nostalgic over an old song could make them put their old feelings out there again. But any of them seemed to want to really talk about that at the moment. 

Although they kept dancing, both started to drift away slightly in their own minds. Until Cordelia found the courage to ask what she had in mind for a few days now. 

"I'm understaffed Ray," hazel tired eyes meeting brown worried eyes. 

"That's what I see, honey, one would think you'd get rid off of old Spalding and get new butler and maids."

"Not only the service, but…I'm the only teacher," Cordelia bit her lip, she was really bad at letting her intentions be known. "And I have four young witches in my care…"

"...and you were wondering if I can give you a hand," Raleigh's eyes shone for a second. "With the teacher part I hope."

“Please?”

Raleigh only sighed at it. If Cordelia asked her for the moon, she would bring it to her without asking; if Cordelia asked her to jump, she would only reply how high; if Cordelia asked her to help her, she would do it without hesitation. 

"They are brats," the Headmistress looked up at her friend, with a big smile on her lips. "I hate bratty people."

"Nan and Zoe are the least bratty," Cordelia's fingers found Raleigh's nape and played with her hair. 

"We don't have enough books," thinking about the only shelf in the house with books made her want to cry. "Did Fiona snort them?" 

"I have yours in my closet, stored and safe," the blonde only shook her head softly and Raleigh felt a heavy weight lifted from her body. "We can use them till I figure out a way to get more."

"What about the Council," both knew they soon would had to talk to them about her return. 

“Myrtle won’t be here till around Christmas, we have some time to come up with something,” Raleigh made Cordelia twirl at the right time with the music, pulling her closer again easily.

“Permission to not assist morning gathering,” Cordelia gasped and laugh at that, getting what it seemed a smug grin as the only response. “Pembroke didn’t attend shit for like six years.”

“Once a month, I pick the one you assist,” a groan and a giggle, the kitchen hadn’t seen that much sound in the last ten years. 

“Fine, but I’m allowed to eat in my room.” 

“No, you eat your Smacks in the table with the rest.”

“Aw but thank God, I was going to start a revolution if I had to eat that…awful but healthy cereal you like.”

“We know you wouldn’t, you love me too much.”

“Low punch, but true.”

The song kept playing and they kept their game of terms. That’s how they found out everything was real, that they were by each other side finally. Even when the song ended, they kept dancing in the kitchen for a few minutes more. Cordelia felt light and content, laughing at her friend’s antics and offerings, drowning in her magic and her presence gladly.

As if they didn’t age a single bit.

The comfortable silence settled by itself while Raleigh was hugging Cordelia as close as she could, having the latter's hands and head in her chest. They didn't need words to say what they were thinking or what they were feeling, but there was something that was escaping from Raleigh's knowledge for once. That something being that her friend, her sweet  _ Deli _ , wasn't the one she last saw before her power made her flee. 

She wasn't the girl that she kissed as if she held the her entire universe in her hands. 

She wasn't Cordelia  _ Goode _ , the girl that could talk for hours about potioncraft and astrology. 

As a matter of fact, she wasn't even a  _ girl _ anymore. 

"I missed you so much, Ray," the woman in her arms was about to cry,  _ that didn't change _ , when she managed to gather new words. "I-I thought you wouldn't ever come back."

Raleigh was trying not to fall in the sudden realization, in the way her crippling fear was trying to take her down. She was fine, she was with Cordelia, she was feeling her body and her warmth, she was controlling what she was doing. 

"I'm here," the taller woman said that in a broken tone, a statement for both. "I came back."

"I'll keep improving the concoction," a promise, a kiss in the base of her neck and then Cordelia's arms were circling Raleigh to keep her closer as if she was going to run away right in that exact moment. "I won't let it happen again, I won't le-" 

"It's perfect at it is Deli," the sweet nickname came out softly as Raleigh pressed her lips against the side of Cordelia's head. "It wasn't your fault, it wasn't your fault at all honey."

"I had to stop you, I was- You were-" 

Closing her eyes to not watch how her best friend melt in her arms.  _ It wasn't our fault.  _ It was Fiona's, and only hers. Pushing her magic again, to cover her friend, was the answer to not think about the uneasiness and the  _ anxiety.  _ Everything was going to be okay, eventually for sure, but okay. Raleigh was afraid of Cordelia's legs giving up so she held her better in her arms to walk toward their chairs again, almost lifting her ever so softly that she didn't have to take a step if she didn't want to. 

It didn't bother Raleigh at all that Cordelia decided to sit in her lap instead of her chair. 

With care, she pulled her sleeve with her fingers, using the fabric to wipe away Cordelia's tears with care. If those bitches, including her mother, knew their authority was in a low point…she would tear her apart. And she wasn't having it. Cordelia tried to chuckle between sobs at the gesture. 

"I got worse at crying," another chuckle met by Cordelia's own fingers to wipe away a rebel tear. "I got worse at everything, I'm even bad at making babies."

Frowning upon that, Raleigh kissed her cheek to not think about the knot in her stomach. She had Cordelia's right arm resting in her shoulders but she took her left hand to draw her thumb along her wrist.  _ A tattoo, look at you Goode.  _ The touch seemed to relax her friend slightly. 

"Babies? How could you possibly be bad at that…?" the comment made Cordelia's expression darkened and showed how she was about to start crying again. "Cordelia, you've never been bad at anything in your whole life, for Christ's sake," Raleigh made her look at her, putting a hand in her cheek, and then something made her stomach churn. "What's gotten into you?" 

"Sweet talking to me?" not even like that Cordelia stopped from being the most beautiful. 

"No, listen to me," it was hard at that point to control her own emotions, but she had to. For both. "I don't give a shit about whatever bullshit they made you believe. You are a very capable witch, a very capable woman," Raleigh brought Cordelia's hand to her lips, kissing her knuckles softly. "Stop with that."

"But you don't know ho-" 

"Are you going to make me hide your potion's stuff till you stop beating yourself up?" Raising her eyebrows a bit comically, the gesture made Cordelia laugh at that and nuzzled Raleigh's neck with her nose, hugging her better and shaking her head a bit. "That's what I thought. Now calm down love, I'm here with you."

Raleigh wanted to do more than just cares Cordelia's back and rocking her softly in her arms, she wanted to provide as much as she could now that she was there. Her head was full of questions, full of things she wasn't able to see with her power, full of all that she missed. 

When she thought the blonde woman was more calm, she kissed her temple before speaking again. 

"Let's buy some ice-cream and do some chilling together, Brad is gone for the weekend right?" That time the misspelled name made her friend chuckle but something in her body language changed, how she stiffened enough for Raleigh to notice and her arms were starting to pull away. "Only us catching up, listening some music or watching a film? I don't know if we'll have to rent it or you have some VHS here? We can even talk about the super breathing fire babies you'll have, whatever you ne-" 

"You are rambling sweetie," it was Cordelia's time to put her hand in Raleigh's cheek. The pet name was…strange for her, her Cordelia never called her that. She didn't like it, in fact. The tone, it was definitely the tone in her voice. "As much as I wanted to…throw a sleepover, I have things to do first."

_ No, of course this wasn't her Cordelia.  _ Raleigh felt the cold starting to spread in her chest while the woman in her lap started to recover from the breakdown as if she was used to it. She didn't fight when Cordelia stood up, taking both mugs to let them in the sink, before walking back to Raleigh and kiss her forehead. No, no, that's was wrong. 

"We'll catch up once I'm back," her smile was different now that she noticed. "I have to run some urgent errands downtown today."

The sudden change in everything, as if some cruel God sped the time, didn't do good to Raleigh's bottled up nerves. In other circumstances, Cordelia would had let her ramble before saying something. She always let her ramble and let everything in her mind flow. Why she was cutting her now? 

"Let me tag along," she chirped, very unlikely of Raleigh, hiding her nervousness by standing up too. "I can d-" 

"I want you to stay and rest," it was like the dance, the way they were comforting each other, never happened. "And keep an eye on the girls while I'm out, please?"

_ Cordelia wasn't like this.  _ She obeyed, reassuring her that she would keep an eye on the brats.  _ She is pushing you away.  _ Not even when Raleigh tried to tickle Cordelia again with her magic made her react, only making her smile softly before squeezing her hands between hers.  _ She only dove for a hot second in nostalgia, it didn't mean anything.  _

Raleigh was left alone in the kitchen again just like that after that last sweet gesture, with the sound of four girls approaching in the distance. 

Paralyzed, numb, like a statue, dumbfounded. 

_ What the hell just happened?  _

For a second she was looking right into the eyes of her old love, and then she was looking into the eyes of a stranger. The feeling of having something missing intensified and it was difficult for her to breath, everything crushing all messy in her head instead of falling in order as she wanted to. As much as she wanted to retake everything that was left as the way it was, it didn't mean the rest of the world didn't move, waiting for her. It was confusing, it was terrifying, it was nerve wracking. 

Zoning out as she was doing, it took Zoe a few attempts to make her actually move. 

"Are you okay?" the girl, barely eighteen, was looking at her with both worry and hesitation. 

Oh dear Lord, she was definitely not. 

However she couldn't lose control now. Registering quickly what was going around her, Raleigh faked a chuckle that seemed to soften Zoe's expression and she patted her shoulder, a bit awkwardly to hide her trembling hand. 

"Of course, sweet pea, why wouldn't I be?" 


End file.
